"𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘴, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘺. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦."

"Sometimes you need to come underground into the darkness in order to be able to see."

An uplifting and inspiring novel based on the true story of a librarian who created an underground shelter during World War II, perfect for readers of The Paris Library or The Last Bookshop in London.
London, 1944. Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While Nazi bombs tear apart the city around her, she turned the Bethnal Green tube station into the country’s only underground library. Down here, a secret community thrives with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a café, and a theater. Clara and her assistant, Ruby Munroe, offer solace and escape from the bombs that fall upon their city. The women’s determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.

I have read about the Blitz and how tube tunnels were used for safety and refuge during bombings but did not fully understand how much of Londoners daily lives occurred underground. This powerful and immersive novel held a spotlight on a diverse group of community members weaved into a cohesive narrative of heartbreak and resilience.

This book was profoundly full of hope and a reminder of the importance of libraries as a community hub. The author interviewed hundreds of librarians during her research, and I loved the quotes from library workers at the beginning of each chapter; equally powerful was the Author’s Note at the end of the novel and a continued call to support libraries from the impact of the Covid pandemic.

TW: War PTSD, SA, Suicide, Genocide, Child loss, Alcoholism

I devoured this book, so needless to say that I loved it.

It’s fascinating to read how the characters were forced to live with so much trauma and heartbreak and pain…and feeling like talking about any of it was taboo. Each of the main characters had to face their own monsters but we see how they all helped each other overcome them. I loved the overarching theme of how important it is to allow people to read whatever they want, how valuable libraries are, especially in moments of uncertainty, and how meaningful it is to face your fears.

We also see how each characters tries to break the mold of what society expects of them: Clara working and not being the “typical” wife/widow, Ruby exploring her sexuality, Sparrow being a kind and extremely intelligent kid, etc etc.

Overall, this was a great read on the importance of found family, on the community around you, and how everyone is fighting a battle that we may not always see or understand.

Anyway, I hope you Al give it a chance as soon as you’re able. It is based on a true story so I HIGHLY recommend reading the authors note and readers guide at the end!

Thank you NetGalley and Kate Thompson for the opportunity to read this!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book before its publication date.

I am a sucker for books about bookstores and libraries and such, and this did not disappoint. This novel was a touching look into the struggles of women during WWII in England. It also includes a informative look into the real life story of the underground library in London.

I live reading historical fiction books centered around WWIi and this one was one of those amazing WWIi books that I ever so loved.

It was a beautiful and inspiring story of bravery and perserverance. I was enraptured by this story from page 1 to the very last page however it felt a little long bur nonetheless a great story which I recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this inspiring book.

All thoughts and opinions are my own and aren't Influenced by anyone else.

The heart warming tale of two women trying to survive the throws of war, bringing a library into the underground of Bethnal Green tube station. This book was so much more than a story about a library.
Clara and Ruby take us on the journey of compassion and empathy towards each other is just as important as surviving the hardships of war.

Though this was marketed as for the readers of The Paris Library I felt it fell short of the comparison. It lacked some of the action I've come to love when reading historical fiction. However, that doesn't make this story any less captivating and endearing. Found family is one of my favourite tropes and this one had me teary eyed for the last 1/3 of the book.

I was approved by NetGalley to read this book and give my honest review. Historical Fiction is my favorite genre but come to find out that this book is based on a true story. After reading this book I had to google Bethnal Green Library. It was an absolutely great story and has turned out to be my favorite book of 2022 and I highly recommend it. The idea of practically being forced to live underground in what became a small town with a library is mind boggling. The way the story was written was excellent and I felt like I was living it.

Thank you Netgalley for the Advanced Readers Edition this was a special read!

Author Kate Thompson has taken great care in sharing the wonders of The Little Wartime Library. While based on a true Library the characters are fictional. Each of them brings beauty and reality to the WWII-era genre.

Ruby is a woman who you would want to sit and have a good nip with and hear about her day. Clara is another woman you want to sit and talk with for hours. While their friendship may seem as if opposites are attracted, it works! Ruby pushes Clara to do and make choices she may otherwise not consider. Their strengths are completely complimentary.

From beginning to end the story drew me in, and had me hooked! I laughed, cried, became angry, and cheered for a happy ending. While everyone didn't land happily, their story was engaging and realistic.

At the end of the book Ms. Thompson shares the history surrounding the Library. Having grown up with access to a public library I found the history valuable. Highly recommend reading this book! It offered a different view of WWII, and how humanity can overcome adversity.

This was interesting, a different look at how the lives of ordinary English men and women kept going during the Blitz and tried to live and thrive through books.

I love this book as much as I to read, and let's say that is a whole lot!

Clara and Ruby maintain an (literal) underground library during the London Blitz years of World War II. Their experiences give a glimpse into the horrors they faced while providing reformed library services to their community. The story digs into the heart and soul of public libraries and the impact libraries have on making lives better not only with books but also with services, programs, community outreach, and providing a free safe space for anyone who needs it.

Sparrow said it best: “Why should the library just be about books?”

This novel was SO not what I expected! I wanted to be offended by the librarians’ defense of books I would’ve labeled smut…but I couldn’t. I wanted to turn away from the horrid violence of Nazis and drunken husbands and smug chauvinistic bureaucrats…but again, I couldn’t. Nor could I deny the power of women whose hearts and dreams were smashed, but who found a way to their happily-ever-afters. All all because of a tube-shelter library! This amazing backdrop was well researched and thoroughly documented in the BEST set of author’s notes ever. I am so glad I read this story of courage and hope. Believe me, it’s worth every tear and cry of surprise. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, and was not required to post a review.

An immersive, terrific and endearing novel. Historical family fiction at its best! A truly appealing novel.

I loved this book so much! I can't wait to buy it when it becomes available. From the first page, Kate Thompson brings you into a compelling story based on real events. You fall in love with the characters, and are rooting for them to win and find their happy endings. I was so thrilled to learn this story is based on true events during World War II, and am so happy to have learned this unique history.

This is a well-written, emotional account of two women’s experiences in London during WWII. Clara, a librarian, ends up running an underground library among the privations of war and the Blitz with best friend Ruby’s assistance. The book takes you through their losses and loves, giving a good sense of the hardships of the war even for those who didn’t fight. Recommended.

What a wonderful experience reading this book! Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to partake in Kate Thompson's war story of the Bethnal Green Library in London's East End. Ironically I began reading this with the threat of Hurricane Nicole coming to Florida and I finished it on the day that the torrential rains and high winds moved northward.

The Little Wartime Library is based on a true story of the Bethnal Green Library that was bombed during the Blitzes faced by Londoners during WWII. It was a fascinating story of how construction stopped on a branch of the Underground and a community of folks ended up living there first in a makeshift bomb shelter and then into a community of over 5,000 people who had lost homes and family members. This section of the Underground gave way during wartime to a cafe, theatre, library and thousands of bunks.

This is not the typical story of love and intrigue during World War II but rather a tangled web of lives, compassion, sacrifice, and heroic deeds amongst the non-military segment of England's population. I heartily recommend this to book groups, history buffs, and anyone who wants to read a great story of the human experience!

I wanted to enjoy this but was overly unimpressed with the relationships, the dynamic, and the plot felt convoluted.

I really enjoyed this book. I think it was the perfect blend of history and fiction. It was well researched and I learned a lot. The story was really good. I liked the main characters and cared about what happened to them. I think the book was probably longer than it needed to be. But overall, a really good book and one I would recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley and Hachette Book Group for allowing an advanced copy of the book to read. What a heart warming story based on the Bethnal Green Library and what it meant to people during WW2. The power of books is strong and can help people in some many ways- a way to escape from what is happening around them, learning. There are many books themed to libraries during the war. I found this unique being the library was underground and about the strength and resilience of the characters. The story grew on me and I was more engrossed the further I read the book. I highly recommend reading.

Oh my, what a beautiful love letter to libraries! As a library worker I reveled in this books message and thoroughly enjoyed the engaging characters. There's an unfailingly sweet story line here that made me smile throughout the book and also made the horrors of war portrayed here all the more stark and terrifying. Life in the tubes of London during the war might have felt a bit romanticized but the terror of the bombings and the gruesome after effects came across full bore. I loved all the Briticisms and the literature references. I also appreciated the author's inclusion of all the relevant historical information that served as the basis for her novel. A very enjoyable read.

“The Little Wartime Library” by Kate Thompson is richly woven with great detail. The author moves her reader from the current time period immediately into the historical time. I especially enjoyed the references to librarians and the details related to this career. The story was easy to follow and the characters were memorable. A bit long, overall the book was entertaining. Many times I would pause my reading to look up some of the historical events. The back of the book has a fabulous chapter on the author’s research.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Netgalley.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and #NetGalley. Thank you to the publishers, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A look back at a time what was anything but charming and safe.